Feancis hovby



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS HOVEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOE TO HIMSELF AND CHARLES H. CLAYTON, OF SAME PLACE.

STAMP CANCELlNG-PRESS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 56,498, dated July 17, 1866.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS HOVEY, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Presses and Stamps for Canceling or other Purposes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this speciication, in which- Figure lis a front elevation. Fig. 2 is a central vertical transverse section.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspending parts in both figures.

rlhis invention is designed more especially for canceling checks and similar papers, but may also be used for other stamping or pressing purposes; and it consists in a novel combination of a hollow screw with the plunger, a central stem, and the frame of a percussion stamp or press, whereby the apparatus may be used either as a percussion or a screw press, according as a greater or less pressure is required-as, for instance, in canceling a greater or less number of checks.

To enable others to understand the construction and operation of my invention, I will proceed to describe it with reference to the drawings.

A is a horizontal base or bed plate, on which is formed an upright frame, B, which supports the working parts of the press. Formed vertically in the center of this frameB is a cylindrical slot, as shown at a l) in Fig. 2. A female screw is formed in the upper part, a, of this slot, in which is placed a vertical hollow screw, C, at the upper end of which are two transverse handles,'d. In the lower part, b, of the slot just mentioned is placed the body x of the plunger D, the stem or shaft c of which is situated within the hollow screw C, and has its lower end pivoted vertically in the upper end ofthe body w by means of a suitable socket, j', and nut g, as shown in the said figure. The upper end ot' this stem c extends upward beyond the top of the screw C, and has a knob, 71 secured upon it. A spiral spring, i, is placed upon this stem c, between the knob 7L and the top of the screw C, and tends to force the said stem upward, so that the upper end of the body of the plunger will be brought up tothe bottom ot' the screw C after it has been forced downward by the hand, as will be presently explained.

Placed upon the upper end of the body 1r, and around the lower end of its stem c, is an Yannular washenj, which prevents the plunger from being worn by the action ofthe screw.

Fixed vertically upon the lower end of the plunger D are any required number of cutters, 7c, which may be of any suitable shape.

l is a cylindrical casing, which is secured to the under side of the central part of theframe B, and surrounds the cutters It' when the plunger is in a raised position, the said cutters passing down through suitable slots in the bottom of the casing l during the operation of the press, so that the plunger is prevented from turning around.

m is a block of lead or other suitable material, upon which are placed the checks or other papers to be canceled. n is a transverse setscrew, which is situated centrally between the handles d, or in the top of the screw C, and which may be so turned as to tightly press its inner end against the stem e, and thus prevent the said stem from moving with reference to the said screw.

When it is desired to cancel a large number of checks or other papers at one time, the setscrew a is turned to hold the stem c and screw C rigidly together, as just described, and the papers are placed upon the block m. The screw C is then turned, by means of itshandles d, so as to press the plungerD downward, and thus force the cutters k down through the slots in they bottom of the easing l into and through the papers, thus canceling them. rPhe screw C is then turned in the opposite direction, and thus raises the plunger, withdrawing the cutters from the papers back into the casing b.

rPhe object of rigidly securing the stem c and the screw C together is to insure the proper upward movement of the plunger and consequent clearing of the cutters lc from the papers with more certainty thanit the spring i alone were depended upon to cause the plunger to follow the upward movement otl the screw C. The stein c, being pivoted vertically in the body ot' the plunger, as hereinbet'ore fully explained, is enabled to turn with the screw C at the same time that it operates the body oi the plunger.

When it is desired to work the apparatus as a percussion-press, us in canceling :L 'small number ot" checks or pepers, the set-screwu is turned so as to itllow the stem c to slide i'reel57 within the screw C. The papers ure placed upon the block m, underneath the cutters, and a, smart blow is struck with the hand upon the knob la, whichnforces the plunger downward mld drives the cutters k into A.tud through the papers, in the'scme manner as when the screw C is used, asjnst set forth, and on releasing the knob from the pressure of the hand the spring forces the plunger upward to its first position, the washer coming in Contact with the lower end of the screw C.

l/Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The hollow screw C, in combination with the central stem, c, plunger, and frame of zt canceling` stamp or press, substantially as herein set forth, for the purpose specified.

FRANCIS HOVEY.

W'ituesses A. LECLERC, J. W. GooMBs. 

